Gas-lighting device.



G. F. MASON.

GAS LIGHTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 7, 1910. RENEWED JULY 10, 1914.

1,127,478.. Patented Feb. 9, 1915.

HE NORRIS PETER: 1.0.. PHDTO-LITHc v WASHINGTON. Dr C G. F. MASON.

GAS LIGHTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 7, 1910. RENEWED JULY 10, 1914.

1,127,4'38. Patented Feb. 9, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

'crraannsr. MASON, or, CORTLAND, NEW; YORK.

GAS-LIGHTING nEvIcE.

Specificatiori of Letters P atent.

me s a 1915- Application filed May 7, 191D, SerialNo. 55%);903. Renewed July 10,1914. Serial No. 850,259.

T all whom it may concern Be it known that I, OHARLES,E.' MASON, a citizen of. the United States, andv a, resident of Cortland, Cortland county, State. of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inv Gas-Lighting, De-

vices, of which the following is a specifica-,

tion.

This invention relates to gas lighting devices. with particular reference to systems in which. the, lighting or extinguishing of a number of; lamps simultaneously may be controlled from. a single remote point, as, for example, the gas supply station.

In my companion application filed simultaneously herewith, I describe a systemin which special burners or lamps equipped;

with automatic lighting devices, and other lampsor burners not so equipped, may be connected to the samegas supply main, and such specially equippedlamps caused to be lighted by temporarily. raising the gas pres sure slightly. above the normal working pressure, and extinguished by temporarily dropping said pressure slightly below the normal working pressure without materially affecting the operativeness of the other.

lamps of'the system.

The object of the present invention is to provide an automatic gas. lighting device controllable from acentral stationand possessing all ofthe other advantages ofi the lamp described in said companion application but which shall be operable by an. increase above normal working pressure both to light and to extinguishthegas. In other words, the gas will be turnedon and lighted at the burners by temporarily increasing These and other objects will bein part obvious and in part explained in the following description.

The invention consists in the. novel improvements, parts and combinations of parts herein shown and; described.

In the. accompanying. drawings which form. a part hereof isiillustrated one embOCll111Ilt;Qf my invention, the same serving toexemplify thev principles thereof.

Ofthe drawings: Figure. 1 is a. central vertical section through a device embodying my invention, the partsbeing shown in the posit1on1they, assume before lighting; Fig. 2 1s a similarview showing theparts in anotheriposition; Fig. 8-. is, a detailelevation showingthe. ignition device from a pointof view at right. angles tothat. ofFigs. 1 and 2; Fig. 1 isan enlarged horizontalsectional view showing partsin plan view, theseo tion beingtakensubstantially on the plane, Of11n5-wf. -w ofEig. 1; Fig.5is a horizontal:

section on line.y..y of Fig. 1, and Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are details showing successive positions of a retaining device andsupport.

Referring, to the drawings. by numerals, in which similarcharacters refer to CQI'I'Q'. sponding parts throughout the several views, 1, represents a. receptacle or tank closed top and bottomby caps 2 andQ, and

having athreaded socket. in the lower, cap.

Burner tube6 which is centrally located with respect to hell 5, is open at its lower end ,and preferably is further provided with a lateral opening 6 positioned slightly abovetheextreme lower end thereof. Said tube projects well within the bell and surrounds the vertical portion, of a smaller tube or pipe 10 also centrally located with respect tobell, 5, and whose lower end extends outwardly through the side of tank 1 where it is provided with, a removable cap 11. A second pipe 12 whose lower end. is connected; with the gas supply pipe 4, extends vertically upward within bell 5, terminating, considerably above. pipe 10, and is surrounded with a seal tuberl. The up.- per end ofsaid seal tube is closed by cap 15 which rests on the upper open end of pipe 12 (Fig. 1).

The lower, end of they seal-tube is provided with a cap LG having a central opening 17 to admit pipe 12 and by preference two lateral openings 18 and 19, the former being located near the eX- treme lower end of said tube and the latter which is smaller than the former, being located slightly higher than the former. A cross-bar 20 extends diametrically across the lower end of the bell, said bar having a central opening 21 to receive pipe 10, and just beneath the lower end of seal-tube H, when the bell is .in its lowermost position.

Centrally located on the outer upper surface of bell 5 is a ring 23 forming between itself and the burner-tube 6 an annular pocket into which lead may be poured to regulate the weight of the bell to a nicety.

Cap 2 of tank 1 is provided with a central opening 24 slightly larger than ring 23, over which opening a Weight 25 provided with a central conical opening 26 is supported. The weight itself is also of conical formation and is centered with respect to the burner-tube 6 by the annular sloping surface 27 which surrounds and contacts with said weight. \Veight 25 as well as the annular sloping surface 27 are inclosed by a casing 29 for protection against dust and the like, said casing having an opening 30 in the top thereof in alinement with opening 26, both of these openings 26 and 30 being for the purpose of guiding tube 6.

A spring 31 is secured at one end thereof to the inner surface of cap 2 and at the other to the top of bell 5, said spring making a partial turn spirally around burner-tube 6 and exerting a force upon said bell tending to rotate the same in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 1) when the bell is raised, and in the opposite direction when the bell is lowered.

An arm 32 rises vertically from the top of bell 5, and carries a horizontally extending detent 32 adapted, when the bell is raised, to engage the guide 33 in a manner hereinafter described, said guide being inclosed by a tube 34 rising from cap 2 near the edge thereof.

A body of liquid 35 contained within tank 1 may be supplied thereto through tube 34. In filling the tank, cap 11 is removed and liquid admitted until it begins to flow out of tube 10, when the cap may be replaced, the overflow indicating that a proper working level of liquid has been reached.

Referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the liquid level is the same in tank 1 and burner tube 6, since both of these parts are open to the atmosphere, the former through tube 3% which is preferably provided with a removable perforated cap 34:, and the latter through the valveless burner 8. The level in bell 5, however, is lower because of confined air and gas in the closed upper part of said bell, while the level in seal-tube 1 1 is still lowerbecause of the pressure of Lia 7,478

gas therein; this tube, as before explained, being in direct communication with the gas main 4 through pipe 12. The normal pressure of the gas in the mains, however, is insuflicient to force the liquid below the opening 19, and inasmuch as said opening as well as the opening 6 in the burner tube is covered by the body of the liquid in bell 5, the gas is effectually cut off from the burner.

To operate the lamp, it is necessary to effect a temporary increase in pressure and this may be done in any desired manner, but not being a feature of the present invention, no detailed description is deemed neces' sary.

Pressure in the mains having been increased, the liquid in tube 11 will be forced down below opening 19, permitting the gas to escape through the body of the liquid to the upper part of bell 5. This action causes the bell to rise slowly carrying the burnertube, arm 32, and the seal tube 1 1 with it, the latter being lifted by the engagement of the cross bar 20. As soon as the opening 6 in the burner-tube is raised above the level of the liquid in the bell, the seal will be broken and the liquid contained within the tube 6 will escape, permitting a restricted flow of gas to pass into the burner-tube and drive out the air therein through burner 8. Further movement of the bell will cause the vents in both tubes to be completely uncovered, as shown in Fig. 2, permitting a free flow of gas from one tube to the other and causing the bell to rise rapidly at the last portion of its movement, during which rapid movement the gas will be lighted in the manner hereinafter described. The rise of the bell, as before mentioned, is accompanied by a twisting action of spring 31, the same tending to rotate said bell clockwise as seen from the top. But this tendency is resisted by the wedge-shaped guide 33,

which as best shown in Figs. 6, 7, and 8, J

comprises an elongated metallic body pointed at its lower end and having a substantially vertical edge 40, a notch 41 at the widened upper end of said body and a deflecting flange 12 located adjacent said notch. In the lower position of the bell (Fig. 1) the detent 32 lies just below the pointed end of the wedge-shaped guide and to the right thereof as viewed in Figs. 6, 7 and 8. As the bell rises, the finger 32 rides against the vertical edge 10, resisting the tendency of bell 5 to rotate under the influence of spring 31, until said finger rises above the upper edge 43 when it will be caused to snap against the flange 42. At this time the ring 23 on the top of the bell has engaged the under side of weight 25, lifting the same from its seat. It should be understood that at this stage of the operation which is illustrated in Fig. 2, the igniter 9 will have been operated and that thelamp is properly burning at.high pressure. The; pressure-in the mains may now be restored to normal work: ingpressure, whereupon the bell 5 which on accountvof the. added weight;2 5 istoo heavy to be sustained by said normal pressure, will drop untilithe weightflo-again rests on cap 2 and theidetent 32? has entered notch 41 and snapped off the flange 42 to the position shown in Fig, 1. Detent 32 will remain in this position as long as the lamp continues to burnandwill sustain thev bell and its attachments in operative position-even though the pressure shouldfall below normal. To extinguish the lamp, the pressure must again be raised. This time the detent 32 will rise to the leftof flange 42and as. it passes out of notclr ll, wilhsnap to the limit, ofits movement to the left, being urged thereto by springBl; Ring 45 at the bottom of'tube 34:, supports the guide 33 and limits the right and left movement of arm The bell now being in the annular position indicated in Fig. 5, with the cross bar 20, as shown, entirely. clear oftube 14, the latter will drop by gravity until it rests on top of the pipe 12. Gas will continue to flow, however, under the excess pressure, until said pressure is reduced to normal, whereupon the liquid wilhrise in tube 14c, cutting off the supply. The bell will then descend and force the confined gas out through the burner, the crossbar 20 riding against the sidev of tube 14,

until the bell has reached its lowermost position when the seal will be reestablished in tube 6 and the crossbar caused to slide beneath tube. 1% ready for another-operation.

I wish it understood that I reserve the right to use in connection with the above de scribed mechanisms any form of ignition device operable by the movement of the bell, or its attached parts. I prefer, however, to use an electric spark-producing device such as illustrated in the accompanying draw ings and fully described in my companion application hereinbefore, referred to; said devicecomprising an outwardly extending resilient contactwire normally lying outside of the flame zone but adapted to be sprung in juxtaposition to the vent or vents 8 of the burner; a co-acting contact finger 51 carried by. a weighted rocking bellcrank lever 52; and connections 53 anchored to a fixed portion of the lampfor causing said lever to swing from one side to the other of the burner on the rise of bell 5;

Wire 50 and finger 51 are connected to opposite sides of an electric circuit (not shown) and are adapted to be brought together momentarily and then separated to form a spark: and the parts are so arranged that the bell will have moved nearly to its upward limit, before the sparking action takes place, the. actual ignition occuring during the rapidifinal movement. of the bell.

The time ofcontact of the parts 50 and 51 isthusreduced to a minimum and battery energy conserved;

The opening 19 is of suflicient area to supply all the gas needed for normal working and the function of the larger opening 18 is to provide for an excess of the gas atthe close of'the rising movement of the hellin order to insure the final rapid upward movement of the bell before referred to.

v The invention, in its broader aspects, is not limited to theoparticular construction herein shown and described, as many changes may be made in the details without departing from the main principles of: the invention or sacrificing its chief advantages.

that I claim is:

1. An apparatus ofthe class described including in combination, a receptacle containing. a suitable liquid, a movable bell sealed in said liquid, a gas supply pipe terminating interiorly of said bell, a seal tube surrounding said pipe and movable thereon independently-of saidbell, said tube being mechanically closed at its upper endand hav ing its lower end sealed by said liquid to cut off the flow from the supply pipe to the bell of gasunder normal pressure, but permit suchflow under gas pressure above normal, a burner-tube communicating with said hell, and means controllable by the displacement of said bell for lifting said seal tube.

2. An apparatus of the class described including in combination, a sealedchamber containing a suitable liquid, an independently movable seal-tube located therein and adapted to be sealed by said liquid, at gas supply pipe opening into said seal-tube, a burner-tube communicating with said sealed chamber, and a lifting and releasing device for said seal-tube controllable by variations of gas pressure.

3. An apparatus of the class described, including in combination, a receptacle containing a suitable liquid, a movable bell, an independently-movable seal-tube located therein and adapted to be sealed by said liquid, a gas supply pipe opening into said seal-tube, a burner tube communicating with said bell, a lifting device carried by said bell and adaptedto engage said seal-tube, and means for disengaging said device in order to permit saidsseal-tuhe to move independently of said hell.

4-. An apparatus of the class described including in combination, a receptacle containing a suitable liquid, a vertically movable bell sealed in said liquid, an independentlymovable sealtube located therein and having openings sealed by said liquid, a gas supply pipe opening into said seal-tube, a burner-tube communicating with and carried by said bell and adapted to be sealed insaid liquid, a lifting device carried by said bell and adaptedto engage said seal-tube, where by the latter may partake of the upward movement of said bell, and means forimparting lateral movement to said device to effect the release of said tube and permit the same to drop independently of said bell.

5. An apparatus of the class described including in combination, a receptacle containing a suitable liquid, a vertically movable bell sealed in said liquid, an independently-movable seal-tube located therein and having openings sealed by said liquid, a gas supply pipe opening into said seal-tube, a burner-tube communicating with and carried by said bell and adapted to be sealed in said liquid, a lifting device carried by said bell and adapted to engage said seal-tube, whereby the latter may partake of the upward movement of said bell, means for imparting lateral movement to said device to effect the release of said tube and permit the same to drop independently of said bell, and an automatic ignition device controllable by the movement of said bell.

6. An apparatus of the class described including in combination, a receptacle containing a suitable liquid, a vertically movable bell sealed in said liquid, a gas supply pipe, sealing means for cutting off the flow from the supply pipeinto the bell of gas under normal pressure but permitting such flow into the bell under gas pressure above normal to raise the bell and render said sealing means inoperative, means for retaining the bell in its raised position when the gas pressure returns to normal, means rendered operative by a second increase in the gas pressure above normal to return said sealing means to its operative position, a burner communicating with said bell, and means operated by said bell for igniting the gas at said burner.

7. An apparatus of the class described including in combination, a receptacle containing a suitable liquid, a vertically movable bell sealed in said liquid, a gas supply pipe, sealing means for cutting off the flow from the supply pipe into the bell of gas under normal pressure but permitting such flow into the bell under gas pressure above normal to raise the bell and render said sealing means inoperative, means rendered operative by such flow to retain said sealing means in inoperative condition when the gas pressure returns to normal and means rendered operative by a second increase in gas pressure above normal to return said sealing means to operative condition, a burner communicating with said bell and means for automatically igniting the gas at said burner.

8. An apparatus of the class described including in combination, a receptacle containing a suitable liquid, a vertically movable bell sealed in said liquid, a gas supply pipe communicating with said bell, a

burner, and'means in said bell adapted to be sealed by said liquid for cutting oil the flow from the supply into the bell of gas under normal pressure but permitting such flow into the bell under gas pressure above normal to raise the bell and render said sealing means inoperative, and means rendered operative by such abnormal pressure for retaining such cutting off means in inoperative condition when the gas pressure returns to normal.

9. An apparatus of the class described including in combination, a receptacle containing a suitable liquid, a vertically movable bell sealed in said liquid, a gas supply pipe communicating with said bell, a burner, and means in said bell adapted to be sealed by said liquid for cutting 01? the flow from the supply into the bell of gas under normal pressure but permitting such flow into the bell under gas pressure above normal to raise the bell and render said sealing means inoperative, means rendered operative by such abnormal pressure for retaining said cutting off means in inoperative condition when. the gas pressure returns to normal, and means rendered operative by a second increase in pressure above normal to return said cutting off means to its operative position when the gas pressure is again returned to normal. v

10. An apparatus of the class described including in combination, a receptacle containing a suitable liquid, a vertically movable bell sealed in said liquid, a gas supply pipe communicating with said bell, a burner, and means in said bell adapted to be sealed by said liquid for cutting off the iiow from the supply into the bell of gas under normal pressure but permitting such flow into the bell under gas pressure above normal to raise the bell and render said sealing means inoperative, means rendered operative by such abnormal pressure for retaining said cutting oli means in inoperative condition when the gas pressure returns to normal, means rendered operative by a second increase in the gas pressure above normal to return said cutting off means to its operative position when the gas pressure is again returned to normal, and means for automatically igniting the gas admitted to the burner.

11. An apparatus of the class described, including in combination, a receptacle containing a suitable liquid, a vertically movable bell sealed in said liquid, a gas supply pipe, a sealing tube in said bell having a restricted opening adapted to be sealed by said liquid for cutting off the flow from the supply pipe to the bell of gas under normal pressure and permitting such flow under gas pressure above normal to raise the bell, means carried by the bell for rendering said sealing tube inoperative when the bell is of the movement of the bell for igniting the gas at said burner.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

CHARLES F. MASON.

Vitnesses FLOYD L. RELYEA, CHARLES H. IRISH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

